Containment assembly for an aircraft engine

Abstract

A containment assembly is provided for an aircraft engine having a rotor with a set of blades. The containment assembly comprises a containment casing annularly surrounding the rotor radially outward of the set of blades. The containment casing is made of a material having a density less than that of steel. A layer of thermal insulation is disposed radially inward of the containment casing. The layer of thermal insulation is radially disposed between the containment casing and the set of blades.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A containment assembly for an aircraft engine having a rotor with a set of blades, the containment assembly comprising:
 a containment casing annularly surrounding the rotor radially outward of the set of blades, the containment casing made of a material having a density less than that of steel; 
 a layer of thermal insulation disposed radially inward of the containment casing, the layer of thermal insulation being radially disposed between the containment casing and the set of blades; 
 a face sheet disposed radially inward of the layer of thermal insulation; 
 a gas path structure surrounding the set of blades, the gas path structure disposed radially inward of the layer of thermal insulation; and 
 an air plenum radially disposed between the layer of thermal insulation and the gas path structure, wherein an air flow is operable to flow through the air plenum; 
 wherein the layer of thermal insulation is disposed directly and concentrically against the containment casing; and 
 wherein the containment casing is made from a composite material. 
 
     
     
       2. The containment assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the containment casing is made from one or more of a carbon composite, a poly-para-phenylene terephthalamide composite, and para-aramid. 
     
     
       3. The containment assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the density of the material of the containment casing is less than 0.200 lb/in 3 . 
     
     
       4. The containment assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the face sheet is a metallic face sheet. 
     
     
       5. The containment assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the containment casing is integrated with a core casing of the aircraft engine. 
     
     
       6. An aircraft engine comprising:
 a turbine including a turbine rotor having a set of turbine blades mounted for rotation about an axis; and 
 a turbine case surrounding the set of turbine blades, the turbine case having a containment zone extending axially from a first location on a first side of the turbine rotor to a second location on a second opposed side of the turbine rotor, the turbine case including a containment casing annularly surrounding the turbine rotor radially outward of the set of turbine blades, the containment casing made of a material having a density less than that of steel, and a layer of thermal insulation disposed radially inward of the containment casing, the layer of thermal insulation being radially disposed between the containment casing and the set of turbine blades, the turbine case further including a gas path structure surrounding the set of turbine blades, the gas path structure disposed radially inward of the layer of thermal insulation, and an air plenum radially disposed between the layer of thermal insulation and the gas path structure, wherein an air flow is operable to flow through the air plenum, wherein the layer of thermal insulation is disposed directly and concentrically against the containment casing, wherein the containment casing is made from a composite material, wherein the layer of thermal insulation includes two or more layers of thermal insulation, wherein a radially innermost layer of the two or more layers of thermal insulation is a resilient protective layer. 
 
     
     
       7. The aircraft engine as defined in  claim 6 , wherein the containment casing is made from one or more of a carbon composite, a poly-para-phenylene terephthalamide composite, and para-aramid. 
     
     
       8. The aircraft engine as defined in  claim 6 , wherein the density of the material of the containment casing is less than 0.200 lb/in 3 . 
     
     
       9. The aircraft engine as defined in  claim 6 , wherein the containment casing is integrated with the turbine case. 
     
     
       10. A method of manufacturing a containment assembly for an aircraft engine, comprising:
 providing a containment casing annularly surrounding a set of rotor blades in a containment zone of the aircraft engine, the containment casing made of a composite material having a density less than that of steel, the set of rotor blades radially surrounded by a gas path structure; 
 positioning a layer of thermal insulation radially inward of the containment casing and radially outward of the gas path structure, the layer of thermal insulation being radially disposed between the containment casing and the set of rotor blades, wherein the layer of thermal insulation disposed directly and concentrically against the containment casing, wherein a face sheet is disposed radially inwardly of the layer of thermal insulation; and 
 providing an air plenum radially disposed between the layer of thermal insulation and the gas path structure, wherein an air flow is operable to flow through the air plenum.